Erath

“Earth, Heart, Erath”, this little word game decorates the back label of many wines from Erath Vineyards. The word sequence is particularly poignant good fortune, not many vineyard names lend themselves to this kind of word play. Good wineries all seem to claim to have their roots in the earth. They generally acknowledge that great wines are grown not made. At Erath the particular “Earth” invoked in the bottles is that of Oregon, and particularly the northern reaches of the Willamette Valley. The “Heart” in the game is likely that of Dick Erath, once an experimenter in Oregon winemaking, now (in hindsight) a visionary of the expanding palate of great American wines.

Dick Erath set out in the 1960s to find a west coast home for pinot noir, the famous red grape of Burgundy in France. In 1967 he concentrated his search, and research, on Oregon. By 1970 he had planted vineyards in the mostly untried territory of the Dundee hills. In 1972 the first 200 or so cases of Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer were sold under the Erath label. As planting and production expanded Cal Knudsen became Erath’s business partner and the winery came to be known as Knudsen Erath. In the late 1980s Dick bought out Cal’s interest. Beginning in 1993 the wines were once again labeled Erath Vineyards. Nowadays Erath farms 115 acres and purchases grapes from another 130. True to Dick’s original inspiration most of the 40,000 cases of wine from Erath Vineyards are Pinot Noir. All are reflections of the Oregon earth of their origin.

The regular Erath Oregon pinot is the winery’s most successful product in our market. This is in part because it is the winery’s most abundant offering. The wine has a light, fresh style and is a terrific crowd pleaser. Low in tannin, this is a pinot noir for today. With evident cherry-fruit aroma and taste, this wine gains complexity for mineral flavors and hints of oak. Balanced from the day it is released, this is one pinot noir that provides instant gratification. It is light enough to defer to most any cuisine and inexpensive enough (about $15) to enjoy often.

Erath reserve pinot noir is bottled in limited quantities (and not in all vintages). Although there is no legal standard for the use of the word “reserve” on U.S. bottles, the wine has its own special standard at Erath. It is a selection of some of the best barrels from a deserving vintage. This wine provides added depth and complexity. The fruit so abundant in the regular pinot noir is present here too, but overlaid with more of the earthy mineral flavor that so often characterizes the great red Burgundies of France. With a bit more tannin and more “stuffing” all around, Erath reserve pinot noir warrants a bit of bottle age. The most favored 1999 vintage is currently available in small quantities at about $25.

Single vineyard wines from Erath are available in minute quantities. Only released when the produce of a single site yields wine of “reserve quality” and special distinction, they are bottled a few hundred cases at a time. A tiny supply of Leland Vineyard 1999 pinot noir has reached Greenville. At a very reasonable $40 or so, this world class, collectable red reflects the winery’s generally modest pricing.

Erath does make white wines as well. Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Gewurztraminer all make their way to us from time to time. They are all straight-ahead, fresh, dry wines, free of oak influence and high in natural fruit crispness. Each wine displays its own varietal fruit character. The Pinot Gris is mineral-laced with a slightly spicy, light finish. The Pinot Blanc is a bit more flowery, richer, and softer. The Gewurztraminer has abundant spice in the nose with a richer texture and a drier finish than many domestic efforts. At present, all these wines (when available) retail for about $15, a very modest price indeed.

“Earth, Heart, Erath” seems singularly appropriate for the wines of Erath Vinyards!

9/04

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